Megan Bristow, 15, said: “I can talk to staff openly about any issues that affect me.

“There are very few places like the Swan, which you can go to and feel totally safe.”

You can support the Swan by nominating it as your company’s charity of the year, volunteering your time to help fundraise for it, making a one-off or monthly donation, becoming a trustee, or hiring it out for social functions.

Centre coordinator Clare Muir said: “I feel that it is vital that the community in which we live makes adequate and suitable provision for young people to enable them to grow and develop into positive members of our community.

“There is no statutory provision for young people in the town and the local authorities fail to invest sufficient funds to enable such provision to be fully met and we are constantly seeking charitable support in order to maintain a decent level of service.”

For more information, or to offer the Swan your support, phone Clare on 01442 384349 or email her at clare.muir@swanyouthproject.com